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Continuity errors
Over the years that EastEnders has been running the show often changes writers every few episodes meaning that there is a greater chance of Continuity errors occurring. Character's Age/DOB Bobby Beale Bobby Beale was born in an episode dated 24 July 2003, but on his Birth Certificate list his Date of Birth as 22 July 2003, however, it is possible that the episode airing on the 24th was set on the 22nd, similarly to what occurred with Ollie Carter. Arthur Fowler Arthur Fowler celebrated his 50th birthday in August 1993 and his 51st in August 1994. He said he was 40 in 1984 when he was made redundant. He gave his birthdate as 19 Aug 1943 in late 1995 when testifying in court. When he died in May 1996 he was said to be 52 and his headstone later said born 19.08.1943. Yet in August 2000 Pauline Fowler mentioned Arthur would have been 56 today, and in August 2002 Martin Fowler said he would be 58 today and in August 2004 Dot Branning said he would have been 60 today. This would have made Arthur's DOB as 19.08.1944. Shabnam Masood Shabnam Masood's year of birth has always been correct, 1986, but the month has varied. In January 2015 she had a birthday but another time she had a birthday in May. Nick Cotton Nick Cotton was said to be 33 in April 1985, yet he was said to be 28 in 1989. In 2000, Dot said Nick would be 41 soon, meaning he was born in 1959. Yet in November 2000, Nick said he was 36. In 2001, Mark mentioned how Nick was almost 3 and a half years older than him. When Nick faked his death in 2014, the casket said 1959, making him 54 or 55. Lou Beale Lou Beale was said to be born in 1910 when she was buried in July 1988 but her headstone says she was 73 which would make her born in 1915. Also in April 1985, Lou said she was 70, if she was born in 1910 she would be 75 in 1985. Den Watts Den Watts said his date of birth was 29th November 1947 when he went to prison (Episode 376 (13 September 1988)). Yet his gravestone said he was born 11th July 1946. In 2004 he was said to be 58. Dr Legg Harold Legg was said to be born in 1920, and in 1986 he said he was 21 in 1941. Yet he was once said to be 9 years old in 1936, which puts 1926 or 1927 as his year of birth. In 2018 he said he was 98. Babe Smith Babe Smith said she was 16 in 1962 so born c1945/1946, yet in 2015 she said she was about 14 in August 1963, thus born 1948/1949. Jean Slater Jean Slater's birth date is officially noted as 21st January 1958. However in 2019, her doctor said she was born 21st January 1963, 5 years later. Character's Date of Death Hassan Osman Hassan Osman gravestone shows he dies 30 June 1985 but he actually died 20 June 1985. General Backhistory Of Characters Of course, not just ages, but the general backstories of some characters has been changed. Even when the show begun in 1985, within a year or two, some of the back histories were slightly changed or retconned. Here are some continuity errors, although I (Benny1982) have tried to come up with a few theories to explain the errors, see if you can agree with them. The Beale/Fowler Family In 1986, Lou said she was married to Albert for 42 years. Albert died in 1965, so this would make him and Lou married in 1923. But Lou was only born in 1915, as in 1985 she said she was 70. Other refs say she wed Albert a few years before the Second World War. The Mitchell Family In February 1990, Phil and Grant arrived in Walford. They did not know anyone, and no one knew them. Although they did hint that they had briefly visited the area before, and Frank Butcher had a feeling he had seen Grant once before. In May 1990 when the alleged body of Den Watts was found in the canal, and it was reported, Phil and Grant had never heard of Den so they asked who he was and they were told he was the father of Sharon who works behind the bar at the Vic. Phil's brother wed Den's adoptive daughter Sharon in 1991, and Phil and Grant heard many tales of Den after that. Actually, Den was alive all along and returned in 2003. Den had no idea who the Mitchells were and had to ask Dot. He had never heard of Phil and Grant or their family. Yet in 2015, Gavin Sullivan said he grew up in Albert Square and hung around with Eric Mitchell who was Phil and Grant's father, and Den Watts. Gavin even showed a photo of himself in the 1960s with Eric and Den, along with Ted Hills and Henry Hubbard. If this was true, why in 2003 did Den not say "Eric Mitchell, I knew him" when he returned? Theory to explain the above continuity error: Den Watts may have known of Eric Mitchell in the 1960s but forgot who he was by 2003, just because he posed for a photo with Eric, does not mean he was a best friend, people can appear in photos with others whom they barely knew. Or, Eric may have known of Walford, and knew of Den Watts, but Den never met his family. Or Den was lying about not knowing the Mitchells when he returned in 2003, he had known Eric and for some reason pretended not to know the MItchells. Den Watts knew Ted Hills, this was established in the 1990s, so Den and Pete knew Ted Hills. Even though Den did not like Ted, again, they agreed to pose in a photo together circa 1965, shortly after, Den banished Ted from Walford for framing Pete. In 1995, Pauline Fowler said Pete almost went to prison because of Ted. In 1995, Ted Hills did not know Phil but never said he did not know his dad Eric Mitchell, how many people know your parents but not you, probably quite a few. Category:Lists Category:Other Information